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Magic Johnson can solve the high-tech diversity gap: Call him

As one of the highest-profile African-American entrepreneurs, Magic Johnson has worked with many companies on jobs outreach. Now he's ready to help tech companies in Silicon Valley recruit more minorities.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — One of the most pressing issues facing Silicon Valley is the diversity gap.

Former NBA great turned businessman Earvin "Magic" Johnson says he has the solution to the severe shortage of blacks and Hispanics in high-tech: Just give him a call.

As one of the highest-profile business owners in the African-American community, Johnson has worked with many companies on jobs outreach. And now he's offering to lend Silicon Valley a hand.

"I've been doing this for over 35 years," Johnson told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. "I've done this for other big corporations as well: Best Buy, Aetna, on and on. I know how to do it. They just need to give me a call. If they're looking for talent, give me a call. If they are looking for companies to partner with, give me a call."

From Google to Facebook and Intuit to Apple, Silicon Valley companies have released statistics on the racial and gender makeup of their workforces in recent months.

The reports have embarrassed the industry: High-tech is overwhelmingly white, Asian and male.

Missing in the ranks of major technology companies are blacks and Hispanics. At Intuit, African Americans are 4% of workers; Hispanics are 6%. Just 2% of U.S. workers at Google and Facebook are black. In the U.S. workforce, 12% are black and 14% are Hispanic.

Silicon Valley companies have pledged to take steps to make their workforces better reflect the customers they serve. But they say they are hiring all of the qualified blacks and Hispanics they can find.

Johnson says he can get Silicon Valley all the applicants it can hire.

African Americans and Latinos "want to work for these incredible companies and brands. Who wouldn't want to work for Apple or Google?" Johnson said. "And it would be better for them as a company as well. That's what it's all about."

Since retiring his NBA jersey in 1996, Johnson has reinvented himself as a businessman, focusing on investing in inner-city neighborhoods.

He started a chain of movie theaters in Los Angeles and at one time owned several Starbucks franchises that he's since sold. He's currently a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Sparks.

He spoke to USA TODAY from the QuickBooks Connect conference here, where he shared tips with 4,000 small-business owners on how to grow their businesses, telling them to never give up.

"Even I, Magic Johnson, couldn't get financing when I wanted to start my first business," he told the crowd. "I thought it would be easy. It wasn't. Ten banks turned me down. But I didn't give up. The 11th bank said yes."

To help diversify Silicon Valley tech firms, Johnson says he could tap into his vast network of contacts in the community.

"No question about it. If you went out and said there are 20 job opportunities, or 100, and partner with a company like mine, we'll get the word out to the colleges and schools, and tell them the opportunities are there. That's what needs to happen," Johnson said. "If you have these opportunities and don't tell the potential candidates who are people of color about the opportunities until the jobs are filled … I understand that game. I've been in for a long time."

Has he picked up the phone and offered his services to Apple, Google, or any other tech firm?

"No. It's up to them to call," Johnson said. "If you don't live diversity, then nobody else in the company will care. It has to be in your DNA. I'm sure Google right now wants to do something; I'm sure Apple wants to do something. But they have to partner with somebody to be effective."